Pride have everything to play for against champions Wildcats

SANDY SUTHERLAND

Scotland’s first and only women’s professional basketball outfit, Caledonia Pride, open their WBBL 2017 fixtures still looking for an elusive first win when they host Notts Wildcats at Oriam tomorrow at 1pm.

They could scarcely have chosen harder opponents than the champions who have lost just one league fixture this season and won eight as well as reaching the WBBL Cup final on January 15.

“It will be a tough job as they will be ready to play in the cup final next week while we have trained hard this week for a different goal than just this one game,” said Pride coach Bart Sengers, who will be without injury victims Hilary Wood and Hannah Robb.

Notts have scored 95 and 105 points in their last two league games, the latter against Cardiff Archers who pipped Pride by one basket after overtime at Oriam two months ago.

Boroughmuir Blaze men have an even more daunting task when they entertain Plymouth Raiders in a preliminary-round tie of the men’s BBL Trophy at the Crags Sports Centre on Sunday at 2pm.